May 18, 2010
Son hit mother, jailed
<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong
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<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> A MAN who breached a personal protection order by hitting his mother three times in February was jailed for 10 months on Tuesday. Cleaner Toh Choon Seng, 31, admitted contravening the PPO by hitting his mother on her forehead and right arm, and hitting her on the left forearm and left foot with a rattan chair three times on Feb 28. He also admitted to punching her arm and lower back three days earlier. Under the PPO issued in 2006, he was not allowed to cause hurt to Madam Si Kim Sem, 59.
A Community Court heard that he was at home in Yishun Avenue 9 on Feb 28 when he wanted to assault his older brother for scolding him for not showing respect to their mother. When he could not, he punched his mother instead and fled. That evening, he returned and hit his mother on the left forearm and foot with the rattan chair while she was sleeping on a chair in the living room. Three days earlier, Madam Si had a dispute with Toh over his engaging a dating agency to help find a wife.
When her husband returned, she walked out to avoid quarrelling with Toh, who followed her and punched her a few times on her arm and lower back.
Community Court judge Roy Neighbour said this was not the first time Toh had committed those offences. He noted that the hurt he had caused his mother had escalated and the risk of future assaults on her remained high. Toh, who has three previous convictions, could have been fined up to $5,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months per charge.
